Unilever to axe more than 300 jobs as part of operations review

Consumer goods group Unilever will axe more than 300 jobs over the next 12 months as part of a review of operations.

The company said 140 people at Port Sunlight, Wirral, and 60 in Warrington, where Surf and Persil are made, would be affected, along with 114 jobs at its Burton-on-Trent base.

Joao Ribeiro, Port Sunlight and Warrington works director, and Mark Wearing, factory manager at Burton, said in a statement: “Full consultation with employees and union representatives will get under way immediately.

“This change will take 12 months to complete, and throughout this period we will be offering an extensive employee support programme to assist all staff.”

Last month, the consumer giant said it was going to cut 20,000 jobs worldwide over the next four years, following an initial announcement in July that it would axe up to 350 staff, including 40 senior management and HR positions by the end of 2008.

Brian Revell, Unite national organiser for food and agriculture, said: “The company has promised meaningful consultations, and we will meet with them shortly to start that process.

“We have already had significant job cuts in the UK, and in the forthcoming talks we will be doing all we can to minimise the numbers going in the near future, as well as ensuring our members’ best interests are looked after,” he added.